


Dorothy Was Right Though

by CaptainLeBubbles



Series: The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [16]
Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M, they're just standing around and talking, this is mostly exposition idk how to tag it, time to meet the teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23470264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLeBubbles/pseuds/CaptainLeBubbles
Summary: James and Qrow meet their daughters' teacher at Open House. It... isn't a pleasant experience.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, Robyn Hill & James Ironwood
Series: The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1200967
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	Dorothy Was Right Though

**Author's Note:**

> I had to add another short cause the one I intended to end on didn't bridge the way I needed it to, but since I technically finished a piece today that means you guys get an update.
> 
> Anyway this is just to set up some of the upcoming conflicts for volume three so not much actually happens in it.

-/-

Qrow shook his head in wonder as he exited the classroom with James, Penny and Nora a little ahead of them and talking up a storm about their newest teacher. Qrow scrubbed one hand through his hair.

“Well, that’ll go down as one of the worst parent-teacher meetings I’ve ever sat through. What in the world did you do to that woman?”

“Why do you assume I did anything?” James asked. When Qrow gave him an expectant look, he sighed. “It’s not something I did, it’s something I’m not doing. Or rather, something the Polendina Foundation isn’t doing.”

Qrow nodded knowingly. “And you hold two votes on the Foundation’s board, so she holds you in contempt.”

“Exactly.” He pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. “Robyn Hill is of the opinion that the Polendina Foundation exists to shanghai students from their schools to Atlas Academy, and feels that the scholarship money we spend on a few students each year would be of more use being given to the school systems to improve the chances of every student instead of a select few.”

“But that’s not what the Foundation exists for," Qrow protested.

“I am aware of this.”

They’d reached the front of the school; ahead of them, the girls checked both ways before hurrying across the strip and convening with their friends to compare notes about their teachers. James and Qrow moved over to stand to one side, out of the path of foot traffic and away from other parents also comparing notes.

“The thing is, her views aren’t  _ wrong, _ at least, I don’t disagree with her entirely. Solitas County’s public education system could use a major overhaul, especially in Mantle. But Atlas Academy’s various tech and science programs are some of the best in the country, and Josef wanted students who wouldn’t be able to afford the tuition fees but showed enough aptitude in the subjects a chance to meet their full potential.”

“Which I guess Robyn disagrees with?”

“She thinks that giving money to the school system rather than continuing to line the pockets of the already wealthy members of Atlas’s board would mean more students being able to meet their potential. Which would be wonderful if the Foundation could do that."

“Why can't it?”

“The Foundation has limited funds, whatever it must seem like to Miss Hill. We only have so much money, we can’t afford to do what Josef set out to do  _ and _ hold up the public schools as well.” 

Qrow hummed in understanding. “So it’s down to priorities?”

“Yes. She thinks the Foundation should prioritize the entire school system, rather than a few select students.” He shook his head. “Honestly, I get where she’s coming from. There aren’t a lot of people in Solitas who have both the means  _ and _ the will to do anything about the education system at all, and I had both. But. That just wasn’t what the Foundation was established for.”

This got another hum of understanding “So what’s she doing down here in Vale?”

James shrugged. “Who knows? I know she was teaching at Mantle as of last year; she got into it with the board because we gave a scholarship to one of her most promising students and she had hopes of him bringing prestige to Mantle. I heard something about a scandal in the spring, but I don’t know the details.”

Qrow nodded slowly, but the gossip wasn't as juicy as he'd hoped, so he let go of it for now- and then grinned and bumped his shoulder against James’. “Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“This is the first time we’ve done a joint parent-teacher thing. And I know it was because they put the girls in the same class, but...” He trailed off with a dopier grin than he would like to admit, but which James matched.

“No, I know. It was nice. I like… the idea of being Nora’s parent. Feels good.”

-/-

They’d moved topics a few times by the time Robyn came out for a bit of a break between parents. She spotted them against the wall, James laughing at some anecdote Qrow was miming, and approached. James immediately stopped laughing and folded his arms behind his back, prompting Qrow to drop his tale.

“Hello, Heartless,” she said.

“Heartless?” Qrow asked, raising an eyebrow at James, who sighed.

“It’s the… the Tinman thing. Because he had no heart.”

“Damn, everyone just jumps straight to the Tin Woodman connection with you, don’t they?”

“It’s not exactly a difficult jump. Hello, Miss Hill. What can I help you with?”

“I wanted to assure you privately that, despite our past differences, I have no intentions of taking any of this out on your girls. I don’t know if you were worried about that, but I know I would be in your shoes, and I don’t want you to.”

“I appreciate that,” James said. “My daughter..s-” The hesitant plural was accompanied by a searching side eye to Qrow, whose eyes took on a gleam that James wasn’t quite sure how to define, “-mean the world to me, and I would hate for their education to be interfered with just because their teacher and I may have our own differences.”

Robyn nodded, and turned to look out over the grounds, eyes scanning the crowd of children until she found Nora and Penny- along with several of their friends, most of them nearly doubled over in laughter at some antics Nora seemed to be miming. She smiled.

“They seem like good kids. I’m looking forward to teaching them.”

“I’m looking forward to having us on the same side for once,” James agreed, and then froze when Robyn held out her hand.

“A truce, then,” she said. “We’re on the same side now.”

James snorted, and took the offered hand, managing a small smile when they parted. Robyn turned to head back in.

“Well,” she said, pausing before leaving. “You’ve got a nice honest handshake, anyway.”

She waved pointedly at that, and disappeared back into the building.

-/-

**Author's Note:**

> Tried to make Robyn and James both sympathetic, with a relationship that's based more on a fundamental disagreement in philosophy and being frustrated not by the actions themselves but rather the priority behind them, which I feel is the best reflection of their canon dynamic, albeit flipped a little bit. And, of course, watered down to fit a setting that involves slightly less genocidal immortal witch ladies.


End file.
